Lyons Lake House – LEED Gold Single Family

Our projects are always design driven. We produce a complete 3D model of our projects down to the studs which allows us to achieve a very high level of accuracy and avoid problems that can arise during construction. Proof of this is in the numbers. By focusing on airtight construction during the design and throughout the framing process we were able to produce a shell with an air exchange rate of 0.58 ACH. By having extremely accurate material take offs, we succeeded in producing only 12 cubic yards of waste during the entire build. Our detailed design work also allowed us to control costs and produce a home with a HERS score of 32, LEED gold certification, and a square footage cost in line with average costs of standard new construction.

Good design and planning results in greater efficiency and the efficiently used material is the most environmentally conscious material. Regardless of what materials you use, if you are filling dumpsters with the cut offs and scraps you’re missing the bigger picture. For example, we designed the bedrooms to be 12′ wide. We knew we wanted to put carpet in these rooms and carpet comes in 12′ rolls. Doing so virtually eliminates any waste. Sure there are carpets that have recycled content (which we used) and/or end of life recycling, but even if you recycle the waste you’ve still created more negative environmental impacts than needed. The mantra “reduce, reuse, recycle” is worded in that order for a reason. Reduction is always preferred. Waste is more than the unusable excess material left over. It is the environmental costs of production, shipping, and even if you recycle the excess there is a cost to that as well. Our whole house was designed with these material efficiencies in mind.

A key factor to durability is the potential ongoing maintenance that may be required. All homes require maintenance, but the reality is that most homeowners fail to keep up with these requirements. By choosing materials that require little or no maintenance we can significantly reduce the greatest impediment to the durability of a house – neglect.

Lastly there will always be materials used in construction that will have negative environmental considerations. Ironically some of the most durable materials are also the most environmentally negative. We used a lot of XPS insulation to insulate the below grade portions of this house. It is not recyclable and is produced with harmful blowing agents; but in this particular application it is an excellent choice. It is an excellent insulator, does not support mold or mildew growth, does not absorb moisture and will last forever. However, this is one of the only places we used this product in our house. All of the above grade insulation is cellulose, which is made of a high volume of recycle content, is reusable, and has a very low embodied energy from production; making it the most environmentally conscious choice.

By constructing an extremely airtight shell, we virtually eliminate uncontrolled air exchange. A home needs fresh air, but now we control how that air is delivered. Through the use of a continuously operated ventilation system we are constantly providing fresh air to all living areas of the home but not before passing that air through a MERV 12 filter capable of eliminating dust, mold spores, and pollen.

Another feature of this home is the use of an enclosed breezeway connecting the house to the garage. This creates an “airlock” that prevents garage contaminants from seeping into the house as well as provide a place to remove dirty shoes to prevent tracking contaminants into the home.

While many people prefer to have some space in the country, we believe that closer proximity to community resources is the more environmentally conscious choice. Careful lot selection and subsequent development can still provide the privacy and closeness to nature while at the same time reducing transportation costs and impacts.